Product Description

Since 1987, bassists who want the power and versatility of active electronics and the speed of the fastest neck available have made Soundgear standard equipment in every genre. As music evolves, so does the Soundgear concept. The SR500 family is one example of this evolution. The SR500 models feature a fast SR4 neck (bubinga/wenge), a mahogany body, and Bartolini MK1 pickups. Onboard Bartolini 3-band EQ provides precise tone control.

SR Series Features
Thinner necks with thinner nuts than traditional basses.

Sleek bodies that are lightweight, balanced and comfort contoured.

Active EQ's perfectly matched with the right choice of passive or active pickups.

Sleek, sexy and sonically versatile are the reasons Soundgears can be found in every kind of music from gospel to goth to garage rock. Bassists who want the power and versatility of active electronics and fastest neck available have made the Soundgear standard equipment in the most controlled studio environments and the most out-of-control live performances.

Ibanez Non-New Product Warranty Information
Ibanez Electric Guitars and Basses have a 1-year warranty on NEW instruments only for the ORIGINAL purchaser with a Sales Receipt. All used products are not under warranty.

If you have additional warranty questions, please contact the manufacturer at 800-669-8262

zZounds has verified that this customer bought this product from us.
This review has been selected by our experts as particularly helpful.
"Ibanez SR500 Bass Customer Review"

Sound:
The sound is awesome for a bass that is as thin and light as the SR500. You can get tons of sounds out of it with the EQ settings, from slap to funk, heavy bottom, warm tones, it's all there. I can get a TON of sound out for playing with any drummer and full band or I can tone it down and play with just my guitar player on an acoustic with both of us singing and it sounds great.
Feature:
Seems that everything is there for a reason and works well. Tonal control is killer. It has a great feel to it also. I like the feel of the woods used on this bass and the finish. Bartolini MK1 Pickups enough said there. The EQ has it all, Volume and Pickup Balance control knobs to tune it your desired pickup sound. Treble, Mid and Bass knobs will give you the ultimate control in fine-tuning your bass to the tones that you want. Lots of sounds available at your finger tips. Also coming with Elixir strings was nice also. I usually change my strings right away as most times you have no idea what they are. The SR500 came with a nice set of strings on it. Thanks! A Big Plus....
Ease of Use:
How playable is it? Wow! it is so easy to play it is mind boggling. Ibanez has always had that super thin fast neck this one is like a Ferrari. If you like thin fast necks this one has it. I didn't like the way it was set up out of the box like most guitars. I did a complete set up on it, lowered the action a bit and now it is honestly the only bass I want to play. Amazing how well it plays. I have pretty small hands and they are pretty messed up with arthritis so ease of playing is huge for me. I love the Fender P bass I also have a Thunderbird and that one booms. But those big heavy basses just kill me and my hands. The SR500 is a winner in my book and my hands and back love me for it. To each their own but this one really works well for me.
Quality:
The construction fit and finish all look great. It is not a fancy bass with a lot of flash, Just kind of a warm mahogany color, flat finish with no heavy lacquer clear coat over it. I like it myself, but yes you can scratch it easy, a little extra care is needed for it and around the jack input you should be a little careful. Overall I love the finish and I imagine over time it will get worn and scratched but hey that gives it some character. It is not the heavy shiny lacquered up body typically found on a lot of guitars. I like it and plan on owning it and playing it for a long time to come. I will pick up a hard case for it in the near future just for some added protection hauling it around to gigs.
Value:
Yes, I feel like I have a ton of bass for the price. There doesn't seem to be many basses in this price range that offer the quality and sound of the SR500. It is not a bank breaker and you get a lot of bass for the money. The Bartolini pickups are a great touch and one of the reasons I wanted this bass. They sound great.
Manufacturer Support:
I own several Ibanez products and have never had to contact the company with any problems.
The Wow Factor:
I love the look and feel of this bass. It just looks warm, a nice color and the feel of real wood not covered up with paint and tons of clear coat. I knew I would like this bass the first time i held one.
Overall:
This is an awesome bass period! Great sound, lightweight, super easy to play, dial in just about any kind of style or sound you want. I have been eying the SR500 for quite a while. I played a few in music stores, then one day i was talking to our keyboard player and he mentioned having one and loved it. He let me borrow it for a week and I was hooked. I tried and tried to buy it or trade him a kidney or something for it but he wouldn't let go of it. I knew I had to have one of my own soon.

Style of Music: Just about everything, Im very eclectic in my music tastes. I just really love to play music.

Thank you. Your vote has been counted. Could you briefly tell us why the review was or was not helpful?

"The Ultimate Bass"

Sound:
The sound of this bass is incredible. I used to play a gsr 400 and this sounds just like that but on a a$$ load of steroids!!! The poppy, solid, deep tone of this bass is absolutely unbeatable. The Bertolini pickups cannot be beat. The tone control knobs offer more control than you can imagine. You don't realize this untill you actually get to play it LOUD!!
Feature:
THE PICKUPS!!!
Bertolini MK1's honestly cannot be beat. I'll be honest, I'd never heard of Bertolini before I bought this bass. I was EMG all the way. But honestly, these pickups are just unbelievable. They perfectly balance the deep low end, the crisp mids and the ear piercing highs. The 3 way EQ lets you control these with almost rediculous minutity. lol if you know what I mean.
Ease of Use:
It feels just like a gsr but somehow, feels completely different at the same time. The weight is average, as with the gsr but the quality of build is uncomparable. It's solid body and thin reliable neck are built to perfection and can't be beat by any brand.
Again, the pickups make easy work of sounding good. The EQ knobs are CRAZY!!
Quality:
I've owned this guitar for 4 years and I play a lot of shows. (Punk and HARD HARD rock) There is absolutely NOTHING that has let me down. I do regularly tighten all the tuning pegs, bridges and pickups. This guitar is as tight as the day I bought it. It breaks in really well. I find that it is perfectly molded to my playing style without taking away from it's solid as a rock construction.
Value:
I've played $4000 basses and HONESTLY I like this bass the best out of everyone that I have played. If I won $10 million dollars tomorrow I wouldn't go buy one of those $4000 basses I would go buy an SR in every color. I know it's hard to believe, but TRUST ME. BUY THIS BASS!!! lol
Manufacturer Support:
As I said, I've had no problems with this bass at all.
The Wow Factor:
Just look at it.
Overall:
I will love this guitar untill either I die or it dies. I have no doubt I will buy at least 2 more of these before I'm done. I might try the 5 string.

Our extended 45-Day 100% Satisfaction Guarantee applies on
this productBuy it, and if it isn't just right for you, return it!

What Our Customers Are Saying About zZounds "I made two separate orders and both were super fast and surprisingly easy. The product information is clear, so I'm able to get exactly what I need, and free shipping makes them competitive." - Customer on January 7, 2015

A temporary customer reference number is assigned to each customer only while they are shopping on zZounds.com. If you call our customer service department for assistance, this number makes it easier for us to answer any questions you have about products, services or purchases.

A temporary customer reference number is assigned to each customer only while they are shopping on zZounds.com. If you call our customer service department for assistance, this number makes it easier for us to answer any questions you have about products, services or purchases.

1. zZounds offers the industry‘s most musician-friendly payment plans

zZounds offers a variety of Play as You Pay installment plans that allow you to get the gear you want today. While our competitors might offer house credit cards that require you to fill out an application and pass a credit check, our payment plans are easy to get, simple to use, and, best of all, accrue zero interest. Unlike those house credit cards that can leave you vulnerable to exorbitant interest charges once the promotional period ends, we never have and never will charge interest when you take advantage of one of the zZounds Play as You Pay plans.

2. zZounds guarantees the lowest price

Seen it for less somewhere else? Get it for less at zZounds. Simply click the “Seen it for less?” link on any product page and as long as we‘re not losing money, we‘ll beat any legitimate competitor‘s lowest price, usually within two hours. Want our best price even faster? Call us at 800-zZounds (800-996-8637), and we‘ll provide you with a lower price on the phone. Also, if you purchase from us and later find the product for less elsewhere, call or email us within 45 days, and we‘ll refund you the difference.

3. zZounds gets you your gear fast

At zZounds, you‘ll get your gear fast and, usually, with free delivery. Because we have warehouses in New Jersey, Nevada and Mississippi, nearly 95 percent of Americans reside within our two-day shipping zones. Combine this with the fact that many of our best-selling products qualify for free two-day delivery and you get expedited shipping without the additional cost.

4. zZounds makes returns super easy

Buy it, try it, like it, or return it to us for a full refund. It‘s just that simple. If you‘re not in love with what you bought, return it to zZounds within 45 days, and we‘ll promptly arrange for an exchange or a refund. No hassles. No hidden charges. And if a product‘s defective or damaged, call us at 800-zZounds (800-996-8637), and we‘ll email you a prepaid shipping label so you can easily return it to us at zero cost to you.

5. zZounds delivers top-rated customer service

zZounds has received multiple Bizrate® Circle of Excellence Platinum awards, placing us in the top 0.7 percent of Bizrate‘s network of 5,200 retailers. Our success in meeting the needs of our customers -- since 1996, we‘ve satisfied over 1,000,000 people -- is due in large part to the fact that zZounds only hires experienced musicians to answer your calls and emails, and they are never paid a commission.